Arrangement of contacts for switches.



0. ENGEL.

ARRANGEMENT 0P CONTACTS FOR SWITCHES.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1908.

7/11 ///IIII///\ III/I I 0. ENGEL.

ARRANGEMENT 0F CONTACTS FOR SWITCHES. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 31, 1908.

907,481. Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES OTTO ENGEL, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

annrmemmn'rgos CONTACTS FOR SWITCHES. j

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Application filed March 31, 1908 Serial No. 424,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO ENGEL, a subject of the German Emperor, and resident of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arrangements of Contacts, for Switches/Safety Devices, Plu

Contacts, and Like Devices, of which the f0 -definite circumstances.

The essence of the invention consists substantially in the following The contact elements consist of thin rings or portions of 1ings,-deviating according to requirements from a circular shape and provided with suitably sha ed Contact surfaces stacked in layers one a ove the other with intermediate layers of insulating rings to form one hollow cylindrical body these layers are held together in suitable manner, for exam le by two end frames pressed one towar s the other. Within this cylindrical body are disposed the interior contacts, which in themselves represent a rigid body comprising, so far as is necessary, astack of conductive and insulating layers likewise alternately arranged. This interior contact-body is revoluble on the central axis of and with regard to the exterior contact-stack, and in I presently described and the advantages ofa given case is also movable longitudinally. The interior contacts cooperate with the exterior'contacts in definite positions and the exterior or interior contacts are preferably elastic in order that the contacts may be, pressed together sufficiently.

The particular features of the structures same over known structures of similar character are as follows: Owing'to the arrangement of the contact elements and inter mediate insulating pieces to form a laminated body, the whole structure is rendered extremely compact. Further, it is'impossible for arcs which occur when the current is interrupted to continue, since the interruptions take place in chambers which are separated from one another and from metal arts by radially rojecting insulating wal s or partitions. Further, y arranging the contacts and intermediateinsulating layers sufliciently close together, in case it is necessary, a closed explosion-proof Contact chamber may be formed which does not require an additional'casing. If required, the chamber thus formed may be filled with oil or other insulating fluids. In case such apparatus are used for heavy currents several-contact disks may be connected in parallel. Should the switches be used for high tension current, the entire re uired area on which sparking occurs may e subdivided by connecting several contact disks in series. Contactbodies of equal diameter and of'the same or different heights may be formed in this manner for a large numberof diiferent types of switches, and consequently the same casings may be used if necessary with covers of different height. If the individual exterior contacts are made as entire rings or somewhat large segments, the further advantage is obtained that conductors can be connected at optional places of the periphery of the switch,

sary for their operation may be attached more sim ly and more securely to the frame which ho ds the contact-stack together an particularly to the upper connecting plate, than in like switches with an insulating base.

In orderthat the inven'tionmay be clearly understood reference is made to the a'ccompanying drawings 1n which severalembodiments and various modes of employing the same are represented diagrammatically and .by way of example, and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram of a double pole switch having annular Contact disks; Figs.

2 and 3 are vertical sections showing one constructional form of the double pole switch represented in Fig.- 1, whereas Fi 4 is a'plan of the same; Figs. 5 and 5 are an views of two modifications of a contact 'sk removd from the switch, whereas Fig. 6is a plan of an insulating disk and Fig. 7 a cross-section of the same; Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and1 2 are diagrams of connections for switches more fully explained hereafter, Fig. 13 is a vertical section through a safety device Fig. 14 is a a diagram showing another mode of connecting the stationary and movable members of the apparatus shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a diagram of a controller, and Fig. 16 is a modification of the latter shown diagrammaticall lleferring to the drawing, and particular y to F ig.. 1, a double pole switch is here shown diagrammatically in which annular contacts are employed and in which the cut-in and cut-out positions follow one another at an angle of 90. The switch is represented in the closed position and consists of four contact-layers 7c which are indicated in perspective by closed lines. Each contact layer has two inwardly projecting contacts I which are connected in parallel by the knives m. Each two contact layers are connected in series by. the knives and a connecting member 11.. Figs. 2 to 4 show one constructional form of such a switch.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, a are the contact layers or disks of which there are always two between insulating disks 0 and separated by a distance disk I) which may simultaneously serve as connection for the conductor from without. All the disks are pressed together by the two covers or plates (1 and e by means of the screws f.

In Fig. 5 a contact disk a, which has been removed, is shown. it are the two contact places; 9 are flaps which can be bent over as indicated at the lower side of the disk in the drawing, so that the contact disks can yield are mounted on the shaftof the switch (Fig.

2). Each knife pair is insulated from the shaft by a bushing and is connected by a metal member g. Thus when the switch is in its closed position, two contact places of one contact disk are connected in parallel by each knife and two contact disks are connected in series by each set of two knives connected together. The switch-knife bod can be inserted into the finished stack through the upper framelate a which has an opening which can be c osed by the cover or lid k. For this pu ose the insulating disks 0 have the inner fiole or perforation adapted to the shape of the knife (see Figs. 4 and 6).

Since the switch-stack represented in the drawing is closed securely as'regards insulation both at its c lindrical periphery as well as at its ends, an also owing to its construction will withstand possible interior explosive rushes of current, the switch represented is also, as will be readily understood, explo-' sion-proof without an additional casing being provided. If instead of the selected contact rings each having two places of contact, shorter contact strips each having one place of contact, say segments of the ring as represented in Fig. 5, are employed, and if each arrangement in its cut-out position.

. Fig. 9 is a diagram of a double ole switch in which two contact disks of the 'nd shown in Figs. 2 to 5 are always connected in parallel by their switch-knives m,. and two pairs of contact disks the knives of which are all conductively connected are connected thereby in series. The knives ofthe disks k to 7r and of the disks k to k -are here electrically connected. Such a switch is suitable for a strength of current twice as eat as that represented in'Figs. 2 to 4, t e individual contacts having otherwise the same dimensions.

Fig. 10 shows diagrammatically a double pole reversing switc with interrupter consisting of four contact layers, namely two layers 7c of entire rings and two layers each having two segments 8 mounted beside one another. For each pole there are two single knives m connected with one another situated on the interior contact body. According to the position of the switch axle in each case, the clrcuit III, as represented, or circuit II, is connected with, or both are disconnected from, circuit I.

Fig. 1 1 shows a reversing switch having six layers composed only of entire contact rlngs, but otherwise like that represented in F1 10. The knives of the layers 70,, k and are electrically connected and also those 0 the layers k Ir and Ic Fig. 12 shows a four-fold subdivision of the circult by connecting four contact layers and all the four switch-knives in series to a switch for hi h tension; the system represented would ave to be employed for each ole, and thus in triple pole switches of this kmd there will be twelve layers.

Fi 13 represents a fusible cut-out provide with contacts arranged in accordance with the present invention. The two switchknives 'i, and i, are attached to the base 2 by the screw 8,. The knife '11, is provided with a bushi to fit over the cylindrical casing n,

of insu ating material surrounding screw 8,.

The two knives are insulated from one another. 'I he knife '5, is connected with the conductor 1, and the knife '5 with the conductor 1 The insulating disks 0 and the contact disks 0 are mounted firmly in the plug 1),. Both kinds of disks are formed as in the switch according to Figs. 2 to 4. I'he fuse v is inserted between the two contact dlsks. The plug is attached to the base by means of a ayonet-joint, w denoting two two layers are emplo ed, of which the upper segments, is represented in Fig. 16.

' nately, and means 'for' olding said stack toaccording to the position of the switch in each secure by Letters Patent is scribed in combination with a cylindrical scribed-in combination with a cylindrical rings and insulating layers stacked alterbayonet-pins. When the plug is inserted and turned, the contact disks are pushed over the knives and the fuse is thereby connected in circuit. When withdrawing the fuse the plug is first rotated; the spark which is produced by opening the circuit when current is passing through it is still produced in the explosion-proof contact-chamber. The possibility ofexchanging the fuses can be prevented by suitable sizes of the opening inthe cover. v

Fig. 14 represents diagrammatically a double pole detachable connection for conductors. The exterior contact-stack with the two annular contact layers is disposed on the removable part in the manner shown in Fig. 13 and carries the movable conductors 1,, whereas the inner contact-bodies with the fixed connections Z for conductors are sta-. tionary.

Fig. 15 shows diagrammatically a switchstack composed of sevenannular layers for a resistance, say for a starting switch. The top contact disk has six contact places, whereas the other disks have only one each. T he knives are all electrically connected in. the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but have only one shank as shown in Fig. 15. When the circuit is closed, the top contact disk is connected with one of the other contact disks case. Resistances which are not shown in the figure are connected between the disks inknown manner. Another more compact form for the same connection, in which only consists of an entire wk and the lower of six Here the interior contact body has above it a whole knife-disk 8 which slides intwo' places of contact'of the upper circular disk, and below it a one-sided switch-knife m. The segments are placed together in one layer the hei ht of the contacts.

W hat I claim as my invention and desire to 1'. In an apparatus of the character demember formed by a plurality of conducting segments and insulatin lavers stacked alterget'her, a contact member disposed within said cylindrical member havin a plurality of contact elements correspon' ing in number with said conducting segments and suitably interconnected to connect predetermined segments with each other, one of said members bein .lrotatively. disposed relatively to the ot or member. I

.2. In an apparatus of the character demember formed-by a plurality of conducting nately, and means for holdin said stack together, a contact member isposed withinsaid cylindrical member having a plurality of contact elements corresponding in number with said conducting segments and suitably interconnected to connect predetermined rings with each other, said inner member being rotatably disposed within said cylinconducting rings, said rings having a suitable number of segments adapted to cooperate with saidknives and said knives interconnected with each other to connect predetermined rings with each other when said shaft is rotated. J

4. In an apparatus of the character described in combination with a cylindrical stack of conducting rings and insulating layers alternately arranged, and means for holding said stack together, a shaft rotata' bly disposed concentrically within said stack. having contact knives insulated from said shaft and. corresponding in number with said conducting rings, said having a suitable number of segments adapted to cooperate with said knives and said knives interconnected with each other to connect predeterminedrings with each other when said shaft is rotated, said insulating layers extending a suflicient distance toward said shaft to form an'insulating wall between the contact segments and knives of two adjoining rings.

. 5. In an apparatus of the character described in combination with a cylindrical stack of conducting rings and insulating layers alternately arranged, and a frame having end plates for holding said stack together and for closing its open ends, a shaft rotatably disposed concentrically within said stack and 1ournaled in said plates havin contact knives insulated from said sh aft an corresponding in'number with said conducting rings, said rings having a suitable number of segments adapted to cooperate with said knives and said knives interconnected with each other to connect predetermined rmgs with eachother when said shaft is rotated. said insulating layers extending a sufficient distance toward said shaft to form an insulating wall between the contact segments and knives of two adjoining rin s.

In testimony whereof I have signe my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses. I

. a OTTO ENGEL.

Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER. 

